In one of my previous web-log entries I wrote about the quest for making a sparkling lemonade. The quest succeeded. (click here for that story)

The only thing that lacked was an efficient method to put the ingredients into the bottle. I already had found it but asked you to experiment yourself and e-mail your self-found solutions.And indeed I received many reactions and I am not keeping them from you. Maybe you recognise your own send-in solution here.

Several of you suggested to put the citric acid in the bottle. Then put the cap upside down on the table and fill it with Sodium-bi-carbonate. Then turn the cap around while screwing it on the bottle.This is the first thing I myself also tried, but a lot of Sodium-bi-carbonate is wasted using this method. It will fall out of the cap onto the table etc.

Another method suggested was based on the previous one but it involved placing a piece of paper on the cap. This makes it possible to turn the cap around without the Sodium-bi-carbonate falling out of it. You can then place the cap on the bottle and pull the paper out.A creative solution on which several varieties were proposed like using plastic or household plastic that would tear apart when the cap would be screwed onto the bottle.Disadvantage is that with the paper variety undoubtfully some Sodium-bi-carbonate would get spilled. And with the household plastic variety some plastic might get into the lemonade which is to be avoided.

And then some of you suggested to press the Sodium-bi-carbonate into lumps or pills. They would have a smaller surface and therfore would not react as fast with the acid. The problem is that Sodium-bi-carbonate can not be pressed by itself. It would need some binding material and nobody suggested what to use, or how to practically perform this.

And then there was a reader who suggested in dissolving the Sodium-bi-carbonate in gelatine.The gelatine would prevent the Sodium-bi-carbonate to react directly when added to the lemonade.I foresee two problems with this. First I think it would take a long time before the gelatin would dissolve and the Sodium-bi-carbonate would be released. And second I do not think I would like gelatin in my lemonade.

There was one reader: Jeff from the USA who almost came up with the solution. His solution however had a small flaw. So I will get into this at the end of this essay.

The solution is in reality very simnple !!!!

With a scale measure 6 gram sodium-bi-carbonate and dissolve it in a bit of water. Put this solution in a plastic bag for making ice-cubes and put it overnight in the freezer.

Even better: leave it several days in the freezer so it will be really deep-frozen.

Now take an empty pet-bottle and put your lemonade in. make sure the bottle is almost full. The more lemonade in the bottle, the better the CO2 will disslove in the lemonade and a real soda will be made.

Now measure 6 gram citric acid and put it on a folded piece of paper.

Get the frozen bag with sodium-bi-carbonate from the freezer. The cubes will be really hard. Crush them with a hammer.

Now add the citric acid to the lemonade and immediately add the crushed cubes.

The citric acid will not be dissolved and the sodium-bi-carbonate is frozen. Therefore they will not immediately react and so we have some time to put all the crushed pieces in the bottle.Put tha cap on and slowly you will see that CO2 bubbles will start to form.

While the bottle is full the gass will dissolve in the lemonade.

Now leave the bottle overnight and you will have a lovely carbonated lemonade.

Sodium-bi-carbonate van be bought at your local home-brew-shop. It can also be bought at the drug-store but likely it will be more expensive. In France it is sold in large packaging in supermarkets. It is found on the shelves with salt and is called Bicarbonate the Sodium.

Citric acid is an ingredient most winemakers will have in stock. Malic acid or tartaric acid can be used instead. When all of these are lacking lemon juice can be used.

Lemonade is made from syrup. Elderblossom syrup and rose syrup both can be used and you can find recipes for these on these web-log entries:

And how about Jeff ???I promised you to get back to Jeff's solution in the beginning. Well Jeff indeed suggested the freezing method. But he suggested to freeze a solution of water the citric acid. This is indeed close to what I did but there is a small flaw.It involves putting the Sodium-bi-carbonate into the bottle and then adding the frozen citric-acid solution.The problem is that lemonade is an acidic beverage from itself. So the Sodium-bi-carbonate will react with the acids that are already present in the lemonade even before you will add the frozen citric-acid solution.But nevertheless well done Jeff !!! You really were close.

I was certainly pleased that this web-log entry generated so many responses.So if you have any ideas or things you would like me to investigate, do not hesitateto e-mail me: lvolders@gmail.com

Luc Volders

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